


You Can Do that?!

by urisarang



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Blood and Injury, Chocolate Box Exchange, Feelings, Insecure Steve Harrington, Introspection, Lesbian wingwoman ftw, Multi, No Beta We Die Like Hargrove, Pre-Relationship, Steve Harrington-centric, Steve just can't catch a break, They love him he just doesn't know it yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 02:35:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28681212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/urisarang/pseuds/urisarang
Summary: Steve had been having a bit of a day:  First, he discovered Soviet spies hiding in the mall—then he got captured and tortured by said spies.  They pumped him full of drugs, threatened him and his angry coworker—but you know what the worst part of the day was?The worst part was accidentally coming out to said angry coworker while sitting on the floor in the girls bathroom and having her laugh in his face.That one hurt.(Or the one where Robin feels bad for once and lends a shoulder to someone in need)
Relationships: Jonathan Byers/Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler
Comments: 12
Kudos: 83
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	You Can Do that?!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wolfish_willow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfish_willow/gifts).



> I hope you like this, even if a side character took more screen time that she should have.
> 
> Edit: Now that it's revealed I can finally say it. I love you boo~~~ <3

“I like girls.” Robin spells it out when Steve just isn’t getting it. She says it as if it were obvious as if it were allowed. Steve stares at her, and she stares right back. Daring him to challenge what she said as if she almost expects him to start a fight over it. 

Over something he never even knew was a possibility let alone _allowed_.

“You can do that? Like girls I mean.” He asks, she looks at him like he’s stupid—a look he is used to getting by this point. He knows he’s stupid, that he says dumb things without thinking so it’s fine. He’s long past getting mad about it every time it happens. 

“What, have you never met a lesbian before?” She asks, incredulous. 

“Hawkings is a small town.” He says defensively, his shoulders up by his ears. He knows he’s been sheltered away here, not as worldly as Robin. He was the cool, stylish man of the town once upon a time. Played at being a bigshot when he was just the same as anyone else—only his parents threw money at him rather than raise him.

His fancy sweaters, skinny jeans, and expensive sunglasses—all the things that made him stand out? That set him apart from everyone else like he was better? They were a lie, an armor he wore to keep anyone from getting too close. He acted like a playboy, dated all the pretty girls for just long enough to get a reputation before he would break it off with them. He thought he was happy then, but then one day someone caught his eye that would change his entire world view.

One Nancy Wheeler. 

On the surface she seemed like any of the dozens of girls he dated before her. Pretty, proper, and a bit of a prude—Hawkings was that kind of reserved town. At least it was.

But she surprised him time and time again when she stood up to him. Called him on his bullshit—and for the first time in Steve’s life? He was on the receiving end of a breakup and wow. No wonder all those girls hated him afterward.

It hurt. It really hurt.

He had made the mistake of falling for her, actually falling for someone. Later as he watched her grow closer and closer with Jonathan Byers of all people he came to realize a scary thing.

He loved her. Honest to God truly loved her.

He wanted her back, sure. Of course, he did. But he wasn’t blind, he could see the way she looked at Jonathan—the same way she used to look at him. She was happy with him, and after a rough start and a whole lot of pushing Steve had to admit Jonathan was good for her too. 

He expected the guy to back down, to be a total pussy—being the quiet nerd that he was but as it turned out he too had hidden depths. He stood up for someone he cared about—Nancy—even if he wouldn’t do the same for himself. 

As Steve laid on the ground nursing a fat lip looking up at Jonathan’s face he felt something stirring in him. Something like how he had looked at Nancy the first time she called him on his bullshit. He thought it was respect, maybe even admiration at the time.

But if Robin could like girls. . .

But no—he’s not gay. He’s still very much in love with Nancy. Would marry her right this moment if she would have him. If he was worthy of her.

And yet. . .he cannot deny some pull towards Jonathan. Steve had accepted their relationship and had been honestly happy for the two of them after the whole disaster that was the shadow monster. It wasn’t just that he wanted Nancy to be happy—that was a part of it—of course, it was.

But it was more than that. Jonathan was there for her when he couldn’t be. He risked his life to protect her and he deserved her more than Steve ever would. All he ever did was make her life harder, hurt her. She’s told him a dozen times that she forgave him. That she could see how much he’s changed but it’s hard for him to let go of the past. Of all the mistakes he made.

He shakes his head chasing away the self-deprecating thoughts that lurk inside his head. 

It’s more than just wanting her to be happy. When he sees Jonathan and Nancy together he gets all twisted up inside. He feels. . .it isn’t quite jealousy, it’s something more. He feels a longing when he watches them walk together hand in hand. His own hand itching for something to hold. His scalp tingles when he watches Nancy run her fingers through Jonathan’s hair, wishing both that it was his hair she was running her fingers through—and that he could run his through Jonathan’s.

Whenever those thoughts had sprung up on him in the past he ignored them. Pushed them down. Everyone thinks crazy things right? It didn’t mean anything. He thinks they might know—not the depth of what he feels, but something. More than once when it was the three of them together he would catch them giving each other loaded looks when they thought he wasn't looking(but he was always looking at _them_ ). He'd make up some excuse and run away, and every time he swore it would be the last he bothered them—got in the way of their relationship but time and time again they would invite him over. 

He was weak to Nancy's begging and Jonathan's shy offers. He could never turn them down for long, not even when he knew that his heart would be bleeding from a thousand tiny cuts once the night was through.

“You okay there Harrington? Looking like a circuit that’s about to blow.” Robin’s words break into his head derailing his train of thought. He twitches back in surprise, his eyes once again focusing on her face as it grows more concerned by the minute. He rubs a hand through the disaster that once was his hair as he collects himself.

“Yeah no, I’m good. I just—” He stops, licking his lips nervously. Come on don’t be a little bitch, he tells himself as he takes in a deep breath. “It’s just that—I didn’t know that was a thing. That it was allowed and it’s—it’s a lot to process.”

She eyes him suspiciously before her eyebrows rise high on her face.

“Don’t tell me Steve Fucking Harrington is having a sexual identity crisis in the girls bathroom.” He’s silent for a moment too long. “Holy shit you are!” She points at him, her finger wavering around thanks to the remnants of the drugs in her system.

“All this time I was jealous of you, hated you for how _she_ only had eyes for you and not me—and it turns out you’re just like me.” She bursts out laughing, it hurts a little if Steve is being honest. His shoulders tense up.

“M not like you. I like both. I think.” He mumbles into his knees as he wraps his arms around them in a hug. The only hug he’s likely to get any time this century the way his life has been going. 

She stops laughing, her face going serious at his tone. One moment she’s mocking him and the next she has a gentle look on her face as she knocks her knees into his. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn't have—that was awful of me.” She says it like she means it, and he knows he should forgive her—will forgive her—but the hurt is fresh. “I’m an asshole, I see an opportunity to make fun of someone and I take it without thinking. I’m sorry Steve, I really am.” She uses his first name as she places a hand on his forearm.

“That was shitty of me. I know how hard it was for me to accept how I felt about girls, about her.” She brushes her sweat soaked bangs away from her forehead. “And here I go making fun of the first person I’ve met who’s like me—not normal. Some friend I am.”

“It’s okay. I remember what it's like to be _that_ asshole.” He says with a small smile that she returns after a moment.

“Okay so spill—who is it? I know there has to be someone with how your face went all soft before you got that confused, constipated face you make whenever you try to think.” For some reason the dig at his intelligence actually makes him feel better. Like things don’t have to be weird between them now that they know things about each other.

“Uhh—well. It’s complicated.” He flounders, not even sure where to start with the mess that is his feelings about him. About them. Robin gives him a look like ‘get on with it already’ so he shrugs and tries his best.

“So you know about me and Nancy right?”

“That cute little meek thing that you had a thing for?” Steve laughs, Nancy is anything but meek. It’s something he’s grown to love and adore about her.

“Not had—still do. I lo-I love her. Even now that she’s with someone else—I might even love her more seeing her so carefree and happy with him.” Robin makes a sympathetic noise, the hand on his forearm giving a gentle squeeze. “I was—I was awful to her, made a lot of mistakes so when I think back of our time together it’s always colored with shame and regret. But when I see her with him—with Jonathan? See how good he is to her, how well he takes care of her? It hurts right here, in my chest—but I kind of like it. It feels. . .good? Even with the pain?”

“Please don’t tell me—you didn’t—you don’t—” Robin asks and Steve just looks at her helplessly. A sad tilt to his swollen and split lips. “Oh, you really are an idiot.”

He couldn’t agree more. If there was anyone, anyone at all for him to fall for after Nancy Jonathan should have been dead last on the list. What cruel twist of fate would have him falling for the guy who took his girl? He’s always felt like he has been life’s punching bag—always getting the short end of the stick but to go this far? That’s a divine amount of bad luck.

Completely out of character Robin pulls him towards herself. Tipping him so that his head rests on her shoulder and then settles hers on top. They sit like that in silence for a few minutes, and Steve? 

Steve is so damn grateful. 

He once thought he might be able to get over his feelings for Nancy by falling for Robin. It was a foolish hope he knew was doomed before he even tried to flirt. It’s not like he doesn’t like Robin, she’s snarky, smart, and takes no shit—totally his type. 

But deep down? He knew it wouldn’t work out. The tug he feels in his chest when he thinks of Nancy? When his thoughts stray as he watches her and Johnathan together? It was missing whenever he would look at Robin. 

“You really fell for the both of them huh?” She asks, voice soft, and tone gentle. He nods against her shoulder and it feels like a relief to admit it. To himself, to someone else. A weight he had been carrying for who knows how long and he never even knew it. 

Totally clueless.

She lifts her head up and pulls back so she can look him in the eyes. There is a spark of mischief twinkling as she looks at him.

“We might die,” She starts, then corrects herself, “Okay we’re probably, almost certainly going to die tonight. So how about we make a deal? Just the two of us?” Steve quirks an eyebrow in interest while being justifiably worried at the same time.

“Let’s make a promise that if we make it out of this? That's if we somehow, despite all odds don’t die a horrible, painful death at the hands of Russian spies or alien monsters from another dimension—that’ll we’ll stop being afraid.” She squeezes her arms around her own knees before sitting up straight again. 

“If I make it out of this, I’m going to tell _her_ how I feel. If she likes me great, if not? At least I’ll know I tried and I can move on. And you—” She pokes a finger into his abused chest a little too hard as she hits a bruise, “Steve Harrington, you’re going to tell them how you feel. Both of them.

“If they are as good as you think they are they’ll be okay with it. You’re a sweet guy Steve if she cares about you—if he’s the kind of guy worth causing you to get that dumb soft smile of yours—they won’t hurt you with this.” She smirks at him, “Never know, they might even like you back—being the adorable idiot that you are. Not even I could hate you after getting to know you—and I really, really tried.”

Steve cracks a smile at that, a tiny huff of breath that could almost be a laugh at her serious expression. At how upset she acts at being denied the ability to hate her biggest competition for the girl she likes.

“Okay fine, it’s a deal.” He agrees. She puts her hand out and gives him a look so he takes it and they shake on it. “We’re still probably gonna die though.”

“I know! It's great!” She says with a laugh and he can’t help but join in. 

It’s crazy, this whole thing is insane. They’re probably insane for laughing about it but he doesn’t care. It feels good to have been so honest and open with someone so if he’s going to die tonight? At least it will be with his heart a little lighter. Besides, if he dies he won’t have to worry about seeing Nancy and Johnathan and having to keep his promise.

  
  


————————

  
  


One thing leads to another and he ends up having to single-handedly save Nancy and Jonathan from being run over by Hargrove. He’s lost as to why Hargrove would want to kill them, but he’s been out of the loop for a good minute while trying to uncover an entire Soviet Spy operation with a bunch of actual children for help. He thinks he should get a pass for that one.

When he saw Hargrove’s car speeding toward her his heart froze in his chest. She looked so beautiful, and strong standing there firing off shots, Jonathan at her side. Not leaving her side, not ever. The perfect image of the surprisingly brave man that Steve had started falling for so long ago.

So he didn’t think, didn’t hesitate—just floored it. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime as they raced. 

He almost didn’t make it. If he was a split second slower. . .

But he wasn’t. At the last second, he slammed into Hargrove’s car from the side pushing him out of the way to just barely miss hitting Jonathan and Nancy. He had just enough time to think ‘at least I won’t have to keep that promise’ before the impact knocks his head into the steering wheel and he knows no more.

  
  


—————

  
  


It was a good way to die, total hero’s death saving the girl(and guy)—So it is quite the surprise when he wakes up in someone’s lap. It feels familiar, as do the fingers in his hair. Consciousness returns to him slowly and in pieces. He can feel the hands in his hair, on his legs, and the soft warmth beneath his head.

Sound comes back next. Two voices, one soft and the other deep. They sound worried, afraid, but Steve doesn’t understand what they have to be afraid of. He feels safer right now than he’s ever felt before. There was something before, something important but when he tries to focus on the thought it slips away leaving him with only the feeling that he has something to do. That someone is counting on him

It is all the motivation he needs to push through the fog, the dark cloud surrounding him. He might be a disappointment, but if someone needs him? He’ll be there.

Always, and no matter what.

A muffled, rumbling sound of pain comes from nearby—it spurs him to try harder despite the pain. Muscles so far past abused it isn’t even funny ache and complain as he forces them to move. The soft voices get louder and the one deep one gets closer. 

Steve feels like he should recognize it, that if he could just understand the garbled words this would all make a lot more sense. 

But after one too many blows to the head, it seems words are beyond him. He tries to open his eyes, maybe if he can see that will help. Nearly swollen shut from the beating he got from the Soviets, the weight of his eyelids is almost too much but he manages, if just barely.

It’s dark wherever he is and he’s surrounded by shapes that move around him. Indistinct and wobbly. His eyes fall closed again, too heavy and he drifts for a time. The soft voice and he can tell it’s a voice—so familiar and _right_ —sounds worried. The sound of her, whoever she is, in distress, fills Steve with the need to do something.

Anything to make it better, but before he can muster the energy to try opening his eyes once more the deeper voice speaks softly, soothingly—just how Steve would have if he had the ability. The beginnings of a thought stirs within him, this is familiar—painfully so. 

Like he knew that the other voice, that the man would care for her in his place. A mix of longing, gratitude, and loneliness stirs within him—a familiar ache.

All at once it comes back to him. He knows where he is and who is here with him.

His eyes fly open once again, their faces are blurry but he blinks until a face comes into focus and he can see her.

Nancy. 

Her face shines wet with tears, but there is a smile on her lips. His own face aches and burns as he returns the smile making him wince. Her smile drops away.

‘Please don’t stop’ he thinks at her, he wants to see that smile again. Directed at him, for him. All he ever wanted was to make her smile, he’s been the cause of her frowns far too often. He won’t be again, not if he can help it.

His _everything_ complains as he forces his arm to move. He reaches up towards her and she doesn’t hesitate as she grabs his hand squeezing it gently within her own. She leans down and presses a kiss against his cut knuckles, feather light as to not hurt him. He squeezes back as well as he can, but he just feels so tired and weak.

He lets his hand go limp, but she holds on, keeps him grounded. A deep voice, Jonathan, says something causing Steve to look down towards his feet to see the man himself there. His hands holding onto Steve’s legs, gripping the fabric of his jeans tight.

He looks worried, uncertain, afraid. 

Is he worried about me? Steve thinks, does he care? The way he’s looking at Steve. . .

It’s the same way he looks at Nancy. A blossom of warmth spreads out over Steve’s chest. He’s almost certain it isn’t blood, that it’s something else, something _good_. Their eyes meet and if Steve weren’t already knocked flat on his ass he’d have fallen over anyway.

The way Jonathan looks at him, it's a look Steve has seen on his own face. Longing, happiness, and a touch of sadness as he looks at Steve’s and Nancy’s entwined hands, fingers gripping Steve’s leg just a fraction tighter. As if he wishes he could hold Steve’s hand too.

Well, he did make a promise after all.

He pulls his free hand up from where it rests at his side and reaches down to where Jonathan is holding onto his pants. His fingers stretch out, but can’t quite reach but Jonathan closes the distance taking Steve’s hand within his own. And he holds on, just as gently, just as reverently as Nancy does.

Steve’s vision goes blurry again as tears well in his eyes. He never thought he would get to have this. To have them, even for this one moment.  


It feels—

It feels like home.


End file.
